Samsung’s first two Galaxy Tab 3 models have been officially announced. Both an 8-inch and a 10.1-inch tablet will be launching globally next month, and you won’t find a quad-core chip or 1080p display in either one.

No, the new Galaxy Tab models have shifted towards the mid-range as their Note cousins take over the top end of Samsung’s line-up. Both tablets will feature a relatively modest 1280 x 800 display, which translates to 189ppi on the 8-incher and 149ppi on the 10.1.

As for that rumored Atom processor, it’s apparently going to power the larger model. The Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 will run a dual-core Intel chip clocked at 1.6GHz, and the fact that Samsung has opted for 1GB of RAM confirms that this tablet isn’t meant to blow away power users with its raw power. Speaking of power, the 6800mAh battery should provide plenty of run-time.

The smaller Tab dials back to 1.5GHz, and it’s a dual core chip. Whether it’s ARM or x86 remains a mystery for now. It has also got 1GB of RAM, and Samsung has fitted it with a 4450mAh battery — roughly ten per cent better than its 7-inch predecessor.

Samsung will offer the usual variants — both Wi-Fi and 3/4G enabled — with 16 or 32GB of internal storage. Both support microSD expansion, of course. They’ll also ship with Android 4.2 out of the box and the requisite Samsung bloat value-added software like ChatOn, S Voice, and S Travel.

It’s pretty clear from these new releases that the Galaxy Tab is no longer offered as a direct competitor to the iPad. The Galaxy brand is successful enough that Samsung can justify creating two tiers for prospective shoppers to choose from: the mid-range Tab and the high-end Note.